Abstract

Nishat Anjum* and Y.C. Tripathi

ABSTRACT

Background: Wild fruits have been a source of nutrition and medicine for local people around the world. Such fruits often contain higher amount of nutrients and bioactive compounds than many cultivated counterparts. Objective: The study was to determine best conditions for optimal extraction of phenolic compounds from fruits of Myrica esculenta, for its superior antioxidant activity. Methods: Different solvents extracts of fruits were qualitatively examined for presence of various phytochemical groups by standard methods. Total phenolic and total flavonoid contents in the extracts were determined by modified Folin-Ciocalteu method and aluminium chloride colorimetric method respectively. The antioxidant efficacy was evaluated following DPPH radical scavenging protocol. Results: Maximum extractive value of M. esculenta fruits in solvents of higher polarity like methanol indicating the presence of polar compounds in greater quantity. Phytochemical screening of fruit extracts showed the presence of diverse range of phytochemicals in M. esculenta fruits. Methanol extract recorded the presence of maximum number of phytochemicals. The TPC of the chloroform, ethylacetate, acetone and methanol extracts was found as 1.99±0.014, 3.54±0.022, 5.26±0.05, and 7.12±0.042 mg GAE/g respectively whereas the TFC of the above extracts was recorded to be 0.52±0.031, 1.45±0.046., 4.54±0.017, and 5.23±0.014 mg QE/g respectively. Highest level of both TPC and TFC was found in methanol extract followed by acetone extract. Among all extracts, methanol extract showed the lowest value of IC50 (55.00±0.341μg/ml), indicating highest DPPH radical scavenging activity of the extract. Least radical scavenging was recorded in chloroform extract (IC50, 154.23±0.243 μg/ml). Conclusions: The present study established fruits of Myrica esculenta as rich sources of phenolic compounds and natural antioxidants.